Wheel



May 20 1924. 1,494,845

w. B. KERRICK WHEEL Filed Aug. 23 .-1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Vus PatentedMay 20, 1.924.,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ICE.

WALTER B.v KEER/IGK, OF LOS'ANGELES, CAIILJFORNIA.`

inner member and an outer member connected together by helicalvor spiralsprings ar# ranged substantiallyT parallel to the axis ofl the wheel. I1

An object of my invention is to provide a simple meansin a wheel oftheabove'char- .acter for demountablysecuring the springs in place wherebythe springs may be readily removedand replaced and the partsquicklyassembled, and in which the springs are so mounted as to be -immovablyand rigidly secured at their point of engagement so as to avoid slidingvcontacts vvand frictional Wear incident to loose connections.

Another objectl is to provide a construe` tion whereby the springs willbe housed and thereby protected from dirt and water.

A further object is to provide means for Vcushioning iexure of thesprings and opposing excessive movementthereof.

AllVith the foregoing objects inl view together with such other objectsand advantages as may. subsequently appear, the invention consists ofthe parts andthe' construction, combinations-nd arrangement of parts ortheir equivalents hereinafter specified and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a view in side ,elevation showing a portion of a wheelconstruction in ac cordance with the invention, with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is an end viewl ofthe wheel partl ly in vertical section. lFigure 3 is a detail in perspective showing a cross section of thewheelrim and tire.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details showing various arrangements of, thespring mem-y bers thatl may be employed.

Figure 7 is a .detail cross section .showing with the springs removed.

More specifically, 9 and v10 indicate a pair of sheetmetal disksor'annular plates suitably mounted on a hub l11 and constituting aninner Wheel member; the plates '9 and bel i WHEEL.

a, modied form' of the, outer Wheel memberA Application led August 23,1921. Serial No. 494,605.

ing -securely held together byV rivets 12 or' other suitable fasteningsand are formed at intervals throughout their peripheral'edges withsubstantially semi-circular or arcuate 'channels 13 and 14, whichchannels are olis-A posed on the adjacent faces of the plates and' ,openat the edges thereof. Projecting from the opposite sides of the platesare spiral` springs lvand 16 having coils disposed in vthe channels and'rigidlyclamped between the plates so as not to'be capable of move mentat theirpoint of engagement between rthe plates, thus obviating frictionor wear of the spring mounting.` The springs 15 and 16 may constitute asingle spring with anf intermediate spiral engaged betweenV the plates',as shown in Figure 4, or 1may`comprise separate springs with their endcoils engaged betweenI the plates, as shown in Figures 5 and 6; theseparate springs being ,either arranged in alignment with Yeach yotheron opposite sides ofthe plates, as shown in Figure 5, or staggeredV in`relation Yto each other, as shown inFigure 6..

The springs 15 16 are preferably arranged to extend substantially atright an- .gles to the plates 9 1() and parallel tothe axis of thewheel, andhave their outerA ends detachably connectedfto an outer wheelmember 17 which encircles the peripheries ofthe plates 9 and 1() and isspaced there-- from. The outer wheel member may consist of a felly 18having inwardly projected side Hanges 19 and 20.l which flanges areprefere ably integral with the fellyV 18 and are'designed to extendinwardly in spaced relation to the plates 9 and 10. Where theflanges 19.and 20 areintegraLwith the felly the latter is preferably dividedcircumferentially, vso that Ythe parts may vbe separated `to permittheplates `9`a'nd'10 ofthe inner wheel'member being positioned betweenthe vflanges 19 and 20 of theouter ,wheel member.V With ythisconstruction a rim 21 is provided which encircles the felly in tightengagement therewith landv holdsv the parts of the felly' together.Atire 2 2jof the cushion' type `en-` circles the rim 21 and is'secur'elymounted thereon.' The fellyjV and rim may, however, constituteonepiece', as indicated-"at 23 in 'Figure 7, and'the'an'ges 19-20 formedof separate rings and vseated on shoulders 2 4 on the felly, asshown inFigure 7. By thls arrangement `either of' the ring fianges 19- 20 may beremoved to permitl disposing the inner wheel member within the outerwheel member.

The flanges 19 and 2O are formed with slots 25 on their innerperipheries through which the outer end -portion of the springs `1516are designed to extend, the slots being preferably arcuate and formedwith beveled walls to afford clearance for the springs. Mounted on theouter faces of flanges 1.9 and 20 are sheet metal rings 26 and 27 whichspan the slots 25 vand provide walls .at .the outer ends .of the slotswith which the end coils of the springs'15 and 16 are engaged; the ringsbeing formed on their outer faces with karcuate channels 28 opening tothe inner marginal edges of the rings, which channels receive the endspirals of the springs when the adjacent end spirals of the springs areplaced astride the inner edges of the rings, as 4shown in Figure 3. Thechannels are formed with end walls 29 against which the terminals rofthe springs are adapted to abut.

Extending overzthe outer faces ofthe Arings 26-27 are annular faceplates 30 ,and 31 which are-fastened to the yrings 26 and 27 'by :screws32 4or other suitable fastenings and are adapted to clamp the end coilsof the springs in the channels 28, so that :the portion of the springsarranged in the channels will be rigidly engaged and `heldagainstsliding movementtosprevent frictional wear 4of :the outer of `thespring mountings. The inner margins of the annular face plates 30 and 31extend beyond the inner margins of the rings 26e-27 and fianges 19--20and are turned inwardly to form beads or flanges 33,.and extend-ingAbetween the inner faces (of the annular face plates and the outer facesof the disks 9 and 10 are exible Aannular members v34y and 35, theinnerfedges `of which abut against the disks 9 and 10 andthe outer edgesofywhich `abut against the face plates k30 and 31. The disks 9 and 10. areformed with annular ribs 36 which provide shoulderson the outer faces onwhich the inner faces ofthe flexible annular members 3'4'and 35 seat atthe inner edges thereof. The members 34 Vand .35 yare preferably formedofr-ubber or rubber composition and fare reinforced by metallic-.rings'37 embedded therein and serve to Yexclude dirt and moisture .from Athespace between the inner and outer wheel members y.and afford a completehousing'forthe springs.

As a means for opposing too free .-fieXure 4of the springs 15 and 16andato ,prevent-.excessive movement ofthe springs andmovement of theinner and outer wheel members relative to each other, a cushion vmelnber38 is interposed between the inner wheel memlber and the outer wheelmember, which cushion 'member .preferably `comprises' an annulus ofrubber or similar Amaterial and is formed with a broad inner peripherylwhich bears against the outer portions of the springs 15 and 16 and hasa narrower outer peripheiy adapted to seat on the inner periphery of theouter wheel member.

In assembling the wheel, the springs are arranged on the inner wheelmember with the coils engaged between the plates 9 and 10, whereupon theouter wheel membeil and the cushion member 38are disposed around theinner wheel member, as before described. The rings 26 and 27 are thenset in place and each spring is distended by a suitable ytool .and hasits end coil placed astride a ring and engaged with the arcuate channelof the ring, thus placing `each spring under tension. After the springsare set in place the annular members 34 and 35 are put in position,whereupon the face plates '3G-31 are secured to the rings 26--27 toclamp the outer end coils of the springs v.and .also clamp the annularmembers 34 and 35 in position. The springs 15 and 16 being 'placed underlongitudinal tension will act to'yieldably oppose movement of the innerand outer wheel members relative to each other, while the cushion member38 will serve as a bumper to prevent excessive fleXure of the springs.The rings 26-27 are made of sheet metal to facilitate the formation ofthel arcuate channels 28 and thefianges '19--20 are provided asabutments for .the ringsto hold the latter against becoming distorted orsprung under the pull of the springs; the portions of the fiangesextending between the slots 25 serv-ing to lback the inner edges of therings.

By the construction herein setl forth, the wheel may be readilyassembled Aand the .springs securely fastened in place, and when thecoils of the springs are clamped be- .tween Athe plates `9 and 10 of theinner wheel member and between the rings 26-27 and face plates 30-31ofthe outer wheel member, the springs will be rigidly and immovablyattached Ato -said members .so that there will be noA sliding movementof the engaged coils, thus obviating frictional wear-at the points /ofsupport of the springs, movement of the springs being confined to theHexure of the portion ofthe springs extendingbetween their points ofsupport.

By mounting' and y,arranging the springs as Ihere set forth, the innerand outerwheel members have yieldably opposed universal movementrelative to eachr other.`

I claim: y l

1. In a wheel, anr inner wheel member, a rim fencircling same and spacedtherefrom,

inwardly yextending side. flanges on said rimV having spaced slots ontheir inner edges, a plate ring seatingon the vouter face of each ofsaidV flanges and Aspanning the slots, and a .series of helical springsaffixed to .the inner wheel member; said springs extending.

through said slots and having the adjacent end coils thereof set astridethe portions of said rings spanning the slots.

2. In' a wheel, an inner wheel member, a rim encircling same and spacedtherefrom, inwardly extending side flanges on said rim having spacedslots on their inner edges, a plate ring seating on the outer face ofeach of said flanges and spanning the slots, a series of helical springsaflixed to the inner wheel member; said springs extending through saidslots and having the adjacent end coils thereof set astride the portionsof said rings spanning the slots, and means for immovably clamping theend coils of said springs on said rings.

3. In a wheel, an inner wheel member, a rim encircling same and spacedtherefrom, inwardly extending side flanges 0n said rim having spacedslots on their inner edges, a plate ring seating on the outer face ofeach of said flanges and spanning the slots, a series of helical springsailixed to the inner wheel member; said springs extending through saidslots and having the adjacent end coils thereof set astride the portionsof said rings spanning the slots, and means for immovably clamping theend coils of said springs on said rings; said springs being also clampedin engagement with the inner wheel member whereby movement of saidsprings will be confined to their lexure.

4. In a wheel, an inner wheel member, a rim encircling same and spacedtherefrom` a series of helical springs aflixed to the inner wheel memberand extending outwardly from the opposite sides thereof, a pair of ringscarried by the rim, there being a ring disposed adjacent each side ofthe rim and the ends of the springs being affixed to said rings, andinwardly projecting side flanges on said rim against which the innerfaces of said rings abut and by which the rings are held in spacedrelation in oppositionto the pull of the springs, said flanges beingsecured directly to said rim in spaced relation and being removablelaterally from the rim.

WALTER B. KERRICK.

